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Family. Junior Sarah Keaton has not seen her grandparents in Hong Kong for five years. According to Keaton, family is not something she takes for granted- it goes further than just the people she lived with home. Throughout South’s hallways, Keaton is one of many students who has family across the world.

Keaton says that you should see your family as a huge part of your life regardless of always being with them because they are your lineage. According to Keaton, family is always close to her heart despite the miles that separate them from physically being together.

“It is important to consider them still as your family and to think about it in a bigger picture that these are the people that you came from and these people are your heritage and ancestors and your family history,” Keaton said.

According to Keaton, the disconnection between her and her grandparents happened when Keaton’s maternal grandparents decided to move to the States for better economic opportunities and way of life for their children. Keaton believes everyone has their own choice and that things they want to do in life do not always pertain in the country they were born in.

Many students at South other than Keaton have family around the world. According to an unscientific survey of over 250 Glenbrook South students conducted by the Oracle, 64 percent of students have families across the world.

As stated by junior Isabel Baik, she feels more connected with her family in Korea because the distance between her and her family taught her to appreciate each moment they spend physically together. It was a reminder to her that every moment is special and each second should be cherished.

“You feel more happy that you haven’t seen them in a while because it makes it more special,” Baik said. “When I facetime them, I feel more connected and have this feeling of nostalgia.”

According to Baik, she believes that communication is something that should be formed between the student and family away from home because it can start a connection that can later be a rewarding experience in life. She believes that students shouldn’t feel lonely because there is your real immediate family at home that you can depend on.

“I think it is important for people to try to communicate and try to bond with your family,” Baik said. “It might be hard, but in the long term it is beneficial and satisfying. You’re not the only one that has family outside of the country so you shouldn’t feel isolated from others and to always remember that you’re still family.”

American born sophomore Julianne Crawford has parts of her dad’s family in Ireland. According to Crawford, she sees having family in Ireland something to be proud of because she can preserve and share different cultures from Ireland, here in America, by celebrating traditional dishes and customs. Crawford believes that being a part of a family makes herself feel more accepted and secured.

“I think that it is cool to have family living outside of the U.S. because you have a culture you can connect strongly with,” Crawford said. “The family there also preserves your family line in the country of origin.”